Bookholder



Oct. 17, 1933. A. R. RUDDELL BOOKHOLDER Filed June 26, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Allison lLRuddell Patented Oct. 17, 1933 PATEN @FFEQE eooKiioLnsa Allison R. Ruddell, Kenmore, N. Y., assignor to Remington Rand Inc, Buifalo, N. Y.

Application June 26, 1930. Serial No. 463,941

7 Claims. (Cl. 211-144) This invention relates to bookholders and more particularly to rotary holders adapted to support a plurality of books.

In the central information bureaus of telephone companies and other organizations, it is n cessary to have a large number of directories and other books of information constantly at hand and it is desirable that these be so arranged thatthey may be readily available for use. The books or directories are often quite bulky and heavy and it is, therefore, essential in order that information may be quickly obtained, that each or" the books be accessible without handling of the others. It has heretofore been proposed to i5 provide rotary holders having pluralities of individual book-containing compartments opento the outer peripheries of the holder so that books may be readily removed or replaced upon turning the rotary element until the proper compartment -0 is brought to a convenient position.

The purpose of this invention is to provide such a device, constructed entirely of metal, by which the hazard of fire is eliminated, and which has its component parts so arranged as to provide a max- 5 imum amount of book space. The device comprises rotatably mounted upper and lower plates which are spaced by a plurality of partition units, each of these having a number of individual compartments. The plates are circular and have their outer peripheries concentric with the axis of rotation in order that there will be no corners or projections to interfere with the free operation of the device. The partition units are so designed that the individual compartments between 5 the circular plates will have a substantially equal depth and means are provided by which the various parts may be quickly and accurately assembled. A cover plate is furnished to conceal these means, so that the completed device will present a neat and attractive appearance.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from a perusal of the followjoint construction shown in Fig. 2, between the top and cover plates and a partition part;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken at right angles to Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective detail view; and

Fig. '7 is a perspective View of a book-spacing member.

As shown in Fig. 2, the holder includes a vertical supporting post 10, having a reduced lower end 11 for attachment to a base 12, being secured thereto by a nut 13, threaded to the end 11. Mounted on the post 10 is the rotatable book-holding element which has upper and lower annular plates is 15, respectively, having an upstanding and 2. dependin peripheral or annular flanges 16 and 17. Extending between and spacing the plates are the compartment-forniing units 1,3, of which there are preferably four, arranged in quadrants. These units comprise a plurality of partitions 20, 21, 22, and 24., parallel to and spaced from each other to pro vide compartments, the first-"nentioned partitions 2 being radially disposed. The units 20,

21 and 22 have angularly disposed end-wallpore tions 25, 26 and flanged as indicated at the flanges abutting and being welded to adjacent partitions and extending away from the compartments so as not to interfere with the insertion of books into the spaces between the partitions. The remaining partitions 23and 24 have flanges 29 in abutment with the partition 20 of the adjacent quadrant unit, thus forming the end wall for the compartmerit between membersiis and. 24. Each of the partitions has a cut-away portion 39 to facilitate the removal of books. The outer margins of the plates 14 and 15 have elongated slots 31 which extend, parallel to the partition members, the latter being provided at their outer edges with upper and lower tongues 32 and 33 respectively for engagement in theslots. Angular brackets 35 are welded to the plates 14 and 15, being positioned to engage the inner end wall portions 25 of the partitions 20, and serving to prevent lateral displacement of the'partition units.

A cover plate 38 is provided to give a finishedappearance to the rotating member, concealing from view the slots 31 and ton ue 32 as well as any marks upon the surface of plate 14 caused by welding brackets 35 in place. The cover plate has a depending peripheral flange 39 overlying the flange 16 which serves to space the cover member and plate 14 at their outer edges. A spacing ring 41 for the central portions of these parts is shown in Fig. 2, extending around the 2'1, respectively, which are post 10. Intermediate of the central and outer portions further spacing members 42 are interposed. Extending through members 42 and through the three plate members are tie rods or bolts 43 which hold the plates and partition units in assembled relation. These rods are preferably disposed between the end walls of partition members 22 and portions 20, so as not toextend into any book compartment.

The assembled rotating member is retained in position upon the post 10 by an annular washer 50, held in place by a cap 51, threaded upon a reduced end portion 52 of the post. The weight of the member is carried by an anti-friction thrust bearing 53 superposed on the base 12 to insure easy operation of the device. An annular reinforcing member 54 is preferably interposed between the bearing and the bottom plate 15.

In assembling the bookholder, the partition members 20, 21, 22 and 23 of each quadrant unit are first welded together in the relationship shown in Fig. 3, the welds uniting the flanges 28 with the abutting partition walls. The four units may now be secured together by welding the flanges 29 of partitions 22 with the side walls of the adjacent radial partitions 20. Partition 24 may be secured to the partitions 20 before or after this latter operation. The brackets 35 are welded in proper relationship upon the plates 14 and 15 and these members may now be fitted against the upper and lower edges of the united partitions, the tongues 32 and 33 being engaged in the corresponding plate slots 31. The tongues may be clenched over to rivet the parts together if desired, as shown in Fig. 5.

The cover plate 38 is placed over the top plate 14 and the tie rods or bolts passed through the assembled parts, the spacing ring 41, and the spacers 42 being interposed between the members 38 and 14. Nuts are threaded on the tie rods drawing the various parts of the rotary element securely together. The completed unit is then slipped on the supporting post 10 and the retaining washer 50 and the cap 51 are secured to the upper end of the post. It will be understood that the reinforcing member 54 may be welded to the bottom plate 16 or merely placed on the post 10 between the bearing 53 and the plate.

The assembled device is now ready for use and books, files or other articles may now be placed in the separate compartments. It will be noted that these are of substantially equal depth, the stepped relationship of the rear walls thereof conforming approximately to the curvature of the plates at the front or open ends of the compartments. If books of unequal width or books of width less than the depth of the compartments are used, bool -spacing members 60, as shown in Fig. 7, may first be inserted in the compartments, as shown in Fig. 3. These are preferably of channel shape and are apertured as indicated at 61 to provide a finger-hold.

What is claimed is:

1. In a bookholder, spaced annular top and bottom plates, partitions perpendicular to and extending between said plates and forming compartments arranged in quadrants, one of the partitions in each quadrant being radially disposed, the remaining partitions thereof being parallel to the first-mentioned partitions in said quadrants, flanges along the inner edges of certain of said partitions for closing the ends of the compartments formed thereby and other flanges extending away from said compartments for abutment with adjacent parallel partitions.

2. In a bookholder, annular top and bottom plates, partitions perpendicular to and spacing said plates, one of said partitions being radially disposed, and other partitions disposed angularly to said one partition and having flanges in abutment with a wall of said one partition.

3. In a bookholder, annular top and bottom plates having slots adjacent to their outer peripheries, partitions spacing said plates and having tongues engaged in said slots, the outer edges of each of said partitions lying adjacent to the said outer peripheries, and the inner edges of each partition having a flange for engagement with an adjacent partition, and means engaging the inner ends of certain partitions and carried by said plates. I

4. In a bookholder, a bottom plate having a depending peripheral flange, a top plate having an upstanding peripheral flange, said plates having a plurality of slots, partitions extendingbetween and spacing said plates, said partitions having tongues extending through said slots, and a cover plate having a depending peripheral flange overlying said upstanding flange whereby said slots and tongues are concealed from view.

5. In a bool zholder, top and bottom plates having notches adjacent to their edges, parallel partitions spacing said plates and having tongues extendinginto said notches, one of said partitions having an angularly disposed end wall extending into contact with an adjacent partition and forming a compartment between said partitions, and a flange on said end wall lying against said adjacent partition and extending away from said compartment, bracket means adjacent to said first partition and said end Wall for retaining the same against displacement relative to said top and bottom plates, and means securin said top and bottom plates together and retaining said plates and said partitions in assembled relation.

6. In abookholder, a supporting post, a bookholding element rotatably mounted on said post, said element comprising portions having upwardly extending tongues, a bottom plate, an annular top plate concentric with said post, having slots ing flange, means extending around said post and spacing said top and cover plates, other spacing means between said plates and tie rods extending through all of said plates and said other spacing means.

7. In a bookholder, a circular plate, quadrantal compartment units mounted on the plate,

each unit comprising a plurality of spaced parallel partition members extending laterally of said plate, each partition member having an angular end portion connected to an adjacent partition 5 member to form a rear wall of a compartment therebetween, the remaining end portions of the partition members being all spaced atsubstantially the same distance from the periphery of the plate.

ALLISON R. RUDDELL. 

